Machine for loading cartridges.



' w. s. MACOMBER. MACHINE FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. Hill.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

8 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. l. MACOMBER.

MACHINE'FOR LOA DING CARTRIDGES.

APPLICATlON FILED JUNE 6. 19!]. I 1,282,610. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- In venicm W. I. MACOMBER.

MACHINE FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 6. 1911.

1 ,28Qfi 1 0. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

hvenz orx w. I. MACOMBER.

MACHINE FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. i911.

1,282,610,. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

fiveni orw flZiOWHey,

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

w. MACOMBER. MACHINE FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1917. 13%,610.

W. I. MACOMBER.

-MACHlNE FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

APPLICAHON FILED JUNE 5. I917.

Patnted Oct. 22,1918.

W. I. MACOMBER.

MACHINE FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1911.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

B SHEETS-SHEET 7.

iaz

W. I. MACOMBER.

MACHINE FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1911.

1,282,610, Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

a SHEETS-SHEET g.

m ir

burrs srerns rnarnntr curios.

WILLIAM I. MACOMBER, OF CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND, A$SIGNDR F ONE-HALF T0 FRANK G. ROWLEY, OF PAWTUCKET, REGDE ISLAND.

MACHINE FGR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

resaeio.

original application filed February 8, 1917, Serial No. 148,391. Divided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (lot. 22, 1918.

and this application filed June 6,

1917. Serial No. 173,080.

To (til whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM I. MACOMBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cranston, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Loading Cartridges, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to machines for loading cartridges, and especially to the feeding and conveying mechanism thereof. The

present application is a division of application rlcr. No. 146,391 filed February 3,1917.

The essential objects of my invention are to deliver the articles to be fed, such as shells or bullets, to their respective carriers automatically, and timed suitably to the movements of the carriers, and to automatically correct any false position of the articles before delivery tothcir carriers.

My invention consists in the featuresof construction combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which is shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cartridge loading machine embodying my invention, omitting such parts of the machine as are re mote from the subject of this invention.

Fig. 2. an end elevation of the same.

3, 4, 5 and 6 sections of the same on lines 4.., o i and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 1. v

Figs. 7 and 8 a plan view and vertical central section respectively of the shell conveyer.

Fig. a section on line 99 of Fig. 1; Fig. 10,.a detail elevation of the shell clasp taken at a different angle from that shown in Fig. 8.

l ig. 11, a transverse section of the same. 12. 13, and 14, sections on lines 12-12, 13 -13, and 14-14 respectively of Fig. 7. V

Fig. 15, a section of a portion of the bullet carrier and feed on line 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 16, a section of a portion of the shell carr iug disk on line 16 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 17. 1 section on line 17 of Fig. 1. Figs. 18 and 19 detail viewsof the bullet and shell feeding cams respectively.

87, end uprights 38, cross Figs. 20 and 21, a plan and vertical section respectively of the bullet conveyor or rectifier mechanism.

Fig. 22, a sectionon line 22 of Fig. 20.

Fig. 23, a plan on lines 23 of Fig. 22.

Figs. 24, 25, 26 and 27 sections respectively on lines 24, 25, 26, and 27 of Fig. 20.

Figs. 28, 29, 30 and 31, a front elevation, side elevation, transverse section, and rear elevation respectively of the bullet clasp, and

Fig. '32, a section on line 32 of Fig. 1.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In the embodiment of my invention herein set forth the framework of a shell loading machine comprises a base 35, posts 36, table piece 39, and bearings 40 for the driving shaft 41. 42 and 43 are the bearings for the shafts 44 and 45 of the shell carriers 46 and 47 respectively, rotatable step by step. The carrier 46 is driven by a cam 49 on the shaft 41 engaging a cam roller 50 on lever 51 pivoted to spindle 44 supported by bridge 52. A pawl 53 on this lever engages the teeth 54 of a wheel 55 fast to the spindle 44. A spring 56 attached to the pawl and lover draws the pawl into engagement with the wheel. Similar movement is imparted to the bullet carrier disk 47 by cam 58 on the main shaft through cam roller 59 on lever 60, pivoted on spindle 45, and carrying pawl 61 engaging the teeth 62 of wheel 63 fasten spindle 45. The pawl is tensioned by spring 64.

Shells are fed thus to the shell carrier 46. Fast on the cross piece 39, as shown in Fig. 1, is a circular plate 66 with an opening 67 registering with an opening 68 in the cross piece. On this plate is a tubular post 69 embraced by theneck 70 of a conical hopper 71 containing a supply of empty shells. Slidable inthe post is a reciprocating tube 72 extending below the cross piece and fast to a cross head 7 3 carrying a pin 74 movable in a vertical slot 75 in one of the uprights 38. A. rod 76 connects this pin to a crank 77 on a shaft 78 mounted in bearings 7 9 in the uprights 38. This shaft is driven, as shown in Fig. 4, by a sprocket wheel 81 on the main shaftthrough chain 82 on sprocket 83 on a shaft 84 in a bearing 85 fast to the lower face of the table. A second sprocket 86 on the shaft 84drives a chain 87 engaging a sprocket 88 on shaft 78, as shown in Fig. 6.

The described mechanism vertically reciprocates the tube 72 from below the top of the post 69 to a point in the hopper, thus coiiperating with the inclined wall of the hopper to agitate the shells and induce them successively downward. Fast t0 the upright below the cross head is a support rigidly holding a tubular guide 91 which telescopes the tube 72 and extends into the post forming a conductor section. The lower aortion of the guide has a vertical. slot 92 su 'ciently broad to admit the passage therethrough of an upright shell. Embracing the guide is a clasp which, as shown in Figs. 8, 10, and 11, consists of a vertically disposed fixed hinge member 941 fast to the guide having shoulders 95 carrying a spindle 96, upon whose ends are pivoted curved arms 97 and 98; arms 97 being fixed to a substantially cylindrical shell 99, and'arms 98 being fixed to a similar shell 100. These hinged sections are pressed aroundthe guide by means of a spring 102' upon the pintle with its ends pressing against the outer faces of the sections. The adjacent margins of the sections are. cut away for some distance forming a vertical opening 103, at the upper end of which. are laterally extending cavities 104C. The sections yield to permit an empty shell to be drawn out of the lower end of the guide and the cavities 10a facilitate the delivery of a reversed shell.

To insure that each shell shall be de livered to the carrier 16' head downward the following reversing mechanism, shown in Figs. 7 and 8, isemployed. This comprises a circular conveyer 106 with radial openings 107 and a cent 'al opening or bearing 108. This member is rotatable with its periphery in slidable contact with a rim 109 fixed to a circular base 110 by screws 1.111. The member 106' rests upon the base supported upon a bracket 112 upon the upright 38. The conveyor member 106 is intermittently rotated thus. Frictionally engaged in the central opening 108 of the con veyer is a split ring 113 surrounding the upper end 11 1 of a shaft 115. This shaft rotates the member 106 under normal conditions, but, as will be later described, the member is intcri'nittently locked, during which period of inaction it is essential that the shaft 115 continue its rotation independently of said member. To this end the split ring 113 has at its adjacent ends-tapering threaded holes 116 adapted to receive a threaded tapering wedge 117. By screwing thewedge up and down. in the holes any degree of frictional engagement between the member 106 and 118 is secured. The rotary ring is attached to the shaft 115 by either a removable. spline or a screw 118. A washer 119 fixed to top of shaft 115 assists the retention of the conveyor. 11 gear 120 on the shaft 115 meshes with a gear 121 fast on a shaft 122 ournaled in the uprights having a sprocket 123 driven by a chain 124. from a sprocket 125 on the main shaft. Thus con tinuous motion is imparted to the shaft 115. The means for intermittently locking the eonveyer 106 during this rotation to produce a step by step motion timed with the carrier 416 is as follows: The member 106 has anannular series of openings'126' adapted to register with a hole 127 in the base 110, as shown in Fig. 9, in which is slidably mounted a vertical pin 128 adapted to interi'nittently project into one of the openin'gs 126. The pin is normally held with the upper end in one of the openin s by virtue of a collar 129 near its upper end against which abuts a helical. spring 130 resting on a resultant shoulder 131 in. the opening 127. In the pin 128 is an opening. 132 which loosely receives the end of an arm 133 upon a plate 134 pivoted on a screw 135 fixed in a plate 136 upon th'ebase 110. Upon one end of the plate 13-2 is a projection 137 engaging a projection 138' upon a lever plate 139 pivoted upon. a screw 1 10 fixed in the outer end of a lever 141 pivoted at 1412 to the plate 136. To one end of plate 139 is fixed the end of a spring 143 attached at its opposite end to a pin 1-14; in the lever 1 11. The means for pulling the pin 128 out of its seat in one of the holes is as follows: The outer end of thelever arm 1 11 is pivotally connected with the yoke portion 146 of a vertical rod 1 17 to whose lower end, as shown in Fig. 3, is fixed a rod 148 fast to a head 14:9, vertically reciprocable on guide rods 150 through openings 151 inthe head. The guide rods are rigid on a block 152 fixed to the table- The head, as shown in Fig. 17, is fast to the rod 153 which passes tl'irough openings 154 and 155 in the base and table respectively. Upon the rod 153 is a plate 150 provided with a central opening 157 to loosely embrace the driving shaft 11. On the plate are cam rolls; 158 and 159 engaging respectively cams 160" and 161 on the driving shaft. These cams reciprocate the head, and through the described lBV1'.COl1 nections, intermittently depress the pin 128 and unlock the conveyer 106 so that the latter has a step by step motion.

The empty shells are received in the conveyer through the tube 91 as follows when the head thereof is downwardly directed: The: head enters one of the slots 107 of the member 106 at one end thereof and rests upon the face of the base 110. The retarv movement of the conveyor draws the shell out of the lower end of the tube 91 through the slot 92 this distending the plates 0;.) and 100' and permitting passagethrough slot 103. The empty shell. is at this instant in vertical position and it is essential that it be laid down in a horizontal plane withits head adjacent the periphery ofthe conveyer. This is accomplished by gravity in conjunction with an arcuate groove or angular recess 162 in the base 110, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The head of the shell rests upon the marginal portion 163 of the recess 162, and the wei ht of the shell tilts and throws it upon its side into the radial slot 107 in which position the shell iscarried in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7 to a curved discharge opening 164 in the base 110 at its periphery, where the weight of the head impels the shell head'first downwardly through a guide 165 whose upper end is fixed to the base, and whose lower end leads to a point adjacent the shell carrier 16. When, however, the shell leaves the hopper with its open end downwardly directed, and it is therefore necessary to reverse its position before it reaches the shell carryin disk, the course of th shell is as follows. Itenters the radial slot 107 with its open end in contact with the marginal portion 163 of the base, and by gravity and the recess 162 is tilted and thrown upon its side with its open end toward the periphery of the conveyor. It is essential thatthe shell be reversed before ontering guide 165. .This result is attained as follows: During the rotation of the conveyer the head of the shell falls by gravity into the broad end 166 of an inclined tapering arcuate slot 167. This slotor groove ex tends from a point near the center of the base to a point 168 near the periphery thereof. The latter portion is the most narrow and shallow; and adjacent this portion is a somewhat deeper portion or cavity 169. The described initial position of the shell is shown in broken lines in Fig. 12 with its open end somewhat elevated above the plane of the upper face of the member 160. The shell in this position is carried into contact with the shoulder 170 upon a cam shaped plate 171 fixed to the wall 109 and extending in a horizontal plane over the top of the con- 1 veycr. From the shoulder 170 the cam plate has a portion 172 corresponding with the curve of the channel 167. The shell, after its initial contact with the shoulder 170 is gradually elevated, as shown in Fig. 13, until it assumes a vertical position head down which it maintains until the head reaches a narrow marginal surface 173 adjacent the auxiliary angular cavity 169 whereupon the head drops into the cavity by gravity and the shell falls upon its side with the head toward the periphery of the conveyor. Thence the latter moves the shell along the upper surface of the base 110 until it reaches the opening 164.- in the latter, and follows the course of the shell already described.

The shell carrier disk 46, as shown in Fig. 16, has upper and lower peripheral flanges 17 4 and 175 provided respectively with semicircular marginal cavities 17 6 and 177. The shells are retained in these cavities by the abutment 178 fixed to the table and contacting with the periphery of the flanges. There is a supporting surface 179 on the table below the shell carrier to support the heads of the shells.

The shells as they descend through the tube 165 are positioned vertically adjacent the carrier 46. The lower end of the tube, as shown in Fig. 16, is cut away to form a vertical opening 180. Through this open ing the shell is automatically inserted into the carrier seats as follows: The tube is partially embraced by a wall 181 fast to the table and having an extended portion 182 provided with a bore 183 registering with an opening 184 in the wall of the tube 165. In the bore 183 is a plunger 185 carrying a pin 186 movable in a slot 187 in the wall. The plunger is normally held out of contact with the shell by a spring 188 which bears against the wall and a shoulder 189 on the plunger. The plunger is intermittently moved against the successive shells as follows: Upon a post 190 is pivoted a lever 191 having in one end a slot 192 for the pin 186, and on the other end a cam roll 193 cugaging the face 194 of a cam 195 on a de pendlng arm 196 fixed to the head 149 and shown in Fig. 19. The movement of the head vibrates the lever to successively insert a shell into its seat in the shell carrier at each advance of the latter.

The shell carrier advances the shell mechanism, not shown on the rear of the machine for inserting a powder charge. Thence the charged shells are successively brought below and into vertical alinement with bullets carried by the bullet carrier 47, both carriers rotating step by step in the direction of the hands of a clock. The bulletcarrier comprises a peripheral flange 198 with radial openings 199 forming peripheral teeth 200 upon whose adjacent faces, as shown in Fig. 3, ar pairs of resilient clips or fingers 201 adapted to form temporary seats for bullets to be inserted into the shells by a die 202 in head 149 as shown in Fig. 17.

The bullets 203 are of oblong shape with a blunt base and a pointed or rounded top. It is necessary that the bullets be inserted into the seats 201 base downward. The parts andmechanisln for feeding these bullets are similar in most respects to those for feeding the shells.

The bullet hopper 204 embraces a hollow post 205 carried by a plate 206 on the cross piece. The cross head 207 which carries the reciprocating tube 208 is moved its pin 209 by connecting rod 211 and the crank 212 on shaft 78. The tubular guide 213 is rigidly carried by the support 214 on the upright, and has a delivery slot 215 in its lower end. The bullet delivery clasp, as shown in Figs. 2 1 to 31 inclusive, comprises the hinge shoulder 216, lugs 217,

through portion 254 of the rod 147.

pintle 218, the arms 219 and 220 carrying shells 221 and 222 respectively, and the spring 223. The shells are cut away to form a vertical opening 225. The bullet rectify ing mechanism, as shown in Figs. 20 and 21, includes the conveyor member 226, having the slots 227 and opening 228, and resting on the base 229 within the rim 230. The base is supported by a bracket 231 on one of the uprights 38. The bullet conveyor actuating mechanism comprises the split ring 233 around shaft 23 1 expanded by the wedge 235 and attached to the shaft by screw 236. The gear 237 on shaft 23d meshes with gear 238 on shaft 122. The locking openings 239 in the conveyer 226 register with the hole 240 in the base in which is the pin 241 pressed by spring 243 and engaged by the arm 244- on the plate 2 15 pivoted at 246 to the base plate 2 17. A proj ection 2418 on the plate engages a projection 2 19 on a yielding plate 250 pivoted at 251 to a lever 252 pivoted at 253 to the base plate. This lever is connected to the yoke The step by step motion of the conveyer 226 is thus timed with the convcyer 106. A bullet descending through tube 213 base downwardly enters a slot in the conveyer whereby the bullet is drawn through the slot 225 and falls into a horizontal position in the slot with its point directed toward the axis of the conveyer by means of the angular recess 256 in the base 229 as shown in Fig. 21. In

this position the bullet is carried in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 20 to an inclined discharge opening 257 in the base; whence it drops base downwardly through a conductor 258 extending downwardly from the base. If, however, the bullet leaves the hopper point downward, gravity coiiperating with the cavity 256 throws the bullet on its side with its point outward as shown in Fig. 20. The bullet is reversed by being moved over the end 260 of an arcuate slot 261, which end is of greater depth than elsewhere, but which gradually shallows and decreases in width as it approaches its opposite end adjacent the periphery of the member 226. At the shallow end of the channel is a deeper cavity 262. IVhen the base of the bullet falls into the cavity 260 the bullet is in clined as shown in Fig. 2 1; and as it progresses along the channel 261 as shown in Fig. 25 the bullet assumes a vertical position until it reaches the cavity 262 where the bullet is tilted to a horizontal position with its point directed to the axis of the conveyer and positioned tofall through the conductor 258.

The lower end of the conductor 258, as shown in Fig. 15, has a lateral opening 261 enlarged by a cavity 265 to admit the clips 201. The bullet injecting device is like the described shell injector comprising the housing 267 on the table and carrying the plunger 269 pressed by a spring 270. A pin 271 in the plunger is loose in a slot 272 in a lever 27 3 pivoted to a post 274% on the table and carrying a roll 275 engaging the face 276 of a cam 277 fired to the head 1-19 as shown in Figs. 3 and 18. The plunger at each reciprocation inserts a bullet from theconductor into a pair of clips as the carrier advances a step. Thus both the shells and bullets are automatically rectified fed and brought into successive registration with each other by gravity and operative connections actuated primarily from the shaft 4:1 driven from its pulley 279.

I claim,

1. In a loading machine, the combination of a frame, a carrier upon the frame, a conveyer base on the frame above the carrier, a rim on the base, a rotary eonveyer provided with radial slots embraced by the rim, a vertical guide on the frame with its end adjacent the conveyer and provided with a slot in its end, a clasp embracing the slotted portion of the guide, a guide extending from the base to the carrier, and means for rotating the conveyer.

2. In a loading machine, the combination of a conveyer base provided with a hole, a rotary shaft journaled in the base, a conveyer provided with radial slots on the base frictionally engaging the shaft and provided with a series of openings adapted to register with the hole, a reciprocating locking pin slidably mounted in the hole openings, and means rotating the shaft for reciprocating the locking pin.

3. In a loading machine, the combination of a conveyer base, a shaft rotatably mounted in the base, a conveyer on the base yieldingly engaging the shaft, means for continuously rotating the shaft, and means for intermittently locking the eonveyer during the rotation of the shaft.

4;. Ina loading machine, the combination with two guides, of a conveyer base between the guides provided with a curved groove in its top face, and with an angular cavity at one end of the groove, and with an angular recess adjacent the other end of the groove, a rotary conveyor provided with radial slots on the base, a rim on the base surrounding the conveyer, a cam plate on the rim extending over the conveyer, and means for-rotating the conveyer.

5. In a loading machine, the combination with an upper and lower guide, ofa conveyer base between the guide provided with an inclined tapering groove in its top face and with an angular cavity at onevend of the groove, and with an angular recess adjacent the other end of the groove, a rotary conveyer provided with radial slots on the base,

a rim on the base, a cam plate on the rim extending over the conveyer, and means for rotating the conveyer.

6. In a loading machine, the combination with a feed guide and delivery guide, of a i conveyer base between the guide provided in its top with a groove and with cavities at the ends of the groove, and with an angular recess in alinement with the feed guide and adjacent one of the cavities, a rotary con veyer provided with radial slots on the base, and means for rotating the conveyer.

7. In a loading machine, the combination of a horizontally disposed rotary carrier pr0- vided with peripheral seats for articles, a hopper above the carrier, guides extending from the hopper to a point beside the carrier, means in the guides for reversing the articles, a reciprocating plunger in the guides in Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner the plane of the carrier movable toward and from the carrier, and means actuating the carrier for operating the plunger.

8. In a loading machine, the combination of a horizontally disposed rotary carrier provided with peripheral seats for articles, a hopper above the carrier, a rotary reversing conveyor between the hopper and carrier, a guide connecting the hopper and conveyer, a guide extending from the conveyer, to a point beside the carrier seats, a reciprocating plunger in the second guide for injecting articles into the seats, and means actuating the carrier for operating the conveyer and the plunger.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WILLIAM I. MACOMBER.

of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

